Thursday,Dec 13th now definitely the date!!! Now all you you need to do is start looking out your partners( a slower one is more comfortable, a faster one hellish!) No excuses as we can find you one on the day,turn up ready to run! St Andrews University Track Christmas Paarlhauf-Tinsel Torture ,choice of 5k or 10K 6.15pm start for both . Kids run free,adults donation of £2 a pair welcomed.Registration in the warmth of the Uni Sports centre before you head out to warm up on track.
You run 200m ,then pass your Xmas cracker to your partner who runs the other 200m( whilst you are jogging across middle of track,getting your breath back!).For the 10K ,you are doing 25 x200 reps,fantastic training session( always seems a great idea till I get to no.5 and 20 to go...) Counting your laps done by one of you holding the reps Card,making the tear on each marked line as you complete your 200m,until all 25 done whereby you jog across and join your partner for last few yards to finishing funnel.There will be the usual chaos,lots of banter and it's a FUN event -although there will be speedsters bombing around for an amazing time-but for most of us,it's survival-with cheese and wine,mince pies etc in a warm upstairs Uni Cricket pavilion for afterwards/usual massive prizes for all categories.
Note:replaces usual Thursday night St A training group that evening( Dave and everyone move up to the track) and hope for some from other training groups ,all runners welcomed. [b]Bring your own Cracker baton[/b],although we'll have spares...and tinsel,santa hats etc not essential but Hilary and Keren have promised their usual Santa's Glamour Girls running gear ..we don't pay them appearance fee but they do provide that extra sparkle!
PS Share cars to the Paarlhauf,so you can "rehydrate" with some festive Gluwein ,hot mince pies,some cheese and bits and pieces.There will be hot spiced Ribena for youngsters and the drivers- but Ladies,in particular,you deserve to have a glass or two( well,china cups I think ) as it's the women's wine from that 2017/18 Cross Country men v women participation Challenge.So get a man to drive you,so you can enjoy your well deserved wine? ( Tom has offered to taxi me,Keren and Hilary just so he can enjoy the two Santa's elves latest outfits and ensure they get home safely...)The Afterwards will be up on that top field inside the newly refurbished University Cricket Pavilion-which they assure us will be cosy and warm. DON'T FORGET baton Christmas Cracker! ( altho will have spares) PS No footballers champing at the bit to get onto the grass middle of track after us- we have it booked totally for us-so no danger of any of us tackling the 10K suddenly having to slot in 400m at end,we can try hard but not be panicked....aiming to finish around 7ish ..but Gluwein and hot mince pies etc will be kept for you!

Note the change to 6.15pm start time for both 5K and 10K to ensure most runners finished by 7pm ish. Hope to see lots of pairs to provide Festive Chaos-spread the word. If frosty too slippy on track we would just move to grass floodlit fottball pitch alongside-but managed ok last year.

On 13th Dec,Thursday should be able to use the Cricket Pavilion for hot drinks mince pies etc...NOW CONFIRMED!
The important bit is we're having the traditional festive paaarlhauf, so you have roughly 2 weeks to find a partner- we can fix you with one on the day so no excuses,you know you want to do the Christmassy thing- the paarlhauf,not the shopping!

Thursday,Dec 13th . If it's frosty,too icy to run on the track( fingers crossed for a milder day than this morning!),we'll organise the paarlhauf on the football/rugby pitch alongside...or some paired race will take place,guaranteed to put you through a tough session! So look out your partner,your Christmas cracker baton,your best Festive adapted kit and come along( adults £2 donation welcomed,kids run free)- registration inside the Uni Sports centre from 5.45pm,races( the 5K and 10K) hoping to start promptly at 6.15. Louise Burt issuing the 200m rep cards and doing the explaining!,Ron Morrison timing,Susan Bayne and helpers in the Uni pavilion kitchen for the hot mulled wine and hotmulled Ribena,cheese,mince pies etc Just needing a few extra helpers ie to take down names as they come in at end.can you post here or contact me on 01334 870637 / 07942004487.Thanks. Jocelyn

Brilliant,Dharini and Ron Hilditch ,very pleased you can help with this event.Ron Morrison has agreed to do the timing but says he needs someone to take down the names at the finish .It would be great to have Ron Hilditch doing the 5K finishers names and Dharini taking the names of the 10 K finishers-their finishing cards will be colour coded and clearly labelled 5K or 10K cards - but can check how this works best with Ron Morrison at the start. Would also be great if Ron and/or Dharini could be at the Ini Sports Centre around 5.40pm to help with Registration-so that Louise Burt can explain about what to do issuing cards and signing people up,then go and do her warmup for the 10K .Fingers crossed for a frostfree track so we don't need to move to the grass picth alongside!